The Forrest City times., 1887-12-10

for him, ani tho doctor was suddenly taken up with a case many miles away, and wa never near the house after my fathers death. l have said the captain was weak, and Indeed hs seemed raller to grow wear CT than regain his strength He cla,nberst np and downstairs, and vent from ffe p-r Tor to ihe bar and back aeain, and sometime put his nose out of doors to smell the sea holding on to the walls a8 he went for SUD. port and breathing hard and fast like . mn on steep mountain. us never particular, addressed me, and 1t is ny belief hs had |. good as forgotten his couiience; but hh temper was mote fighty, aud, allowing fas his bodily weakness, more violent than ever lo had an alarming way now when ha was drunk of drawing his catiass and laying t bare before him oa the table. But, with al. that hs minded people iess, and seemed shut up in his own Thoughts and rather wandering. Once, for Instance, to our ex. treme wonder he piped gp lo a different air, Sklnd of country lOye-soug, that he must have learned in his youth before he had @ gun to follow the sea.
 So things passed until the day after tao funeral, and about three o clock of bitter, foggy, frosty, afternoon, ! was standing ai the door for Q moment ful of sad thought, about my father, when 1 saw some one drawing slowly near aiong the road. lie was plainly blind for nc tapped before his with ssck, anG wore a great green sbad, over his eyes and nose, and. he was hunched, as if With ago OF weakness, and w0ro a huge oll tatteTad sel-clpak with hood iha. made him appear positively de. formed. l never saw ia my life a more dreadful booking figure. lie stopped liitla from the inn. amt raising his voice in aD cd siassolg, ssSisess sd l..e ar ia front Of him.
 "AYif any kind friend l. form 2 poor bind fran, wao has lost the precious sight of his eyes in tho gracious Geienss Of his native country, England, and God bless King SiSsaEgsi--where CT in what part of this country he nay now be?'
 afoa afe at Inc 4 imlgal Bsnbow, Blacb Hill Cove, my good nrn.p said l.
 T hear voice, said he, "a young voice. Win you giye me your hand, my kind young friend and lead me ins"
 l Iheld ouI my hand and the horrible, soi t spoken, eyeless creature grlpped t In a mo- hant ike vss. l was 50 much startled that l s,fr zIed to withdraw; but the blind hisa paie be close Up t5 him with sius.2 action of his arm.
 'Now, boy. he said. "take me to the cap tain.p
 Sir" said l, upon my word dare not
 'oh," he sneorei, that's itl take mo in straight, or I'll break your arm" And he gave t, as he spoke, wrench thai made me cry out.
 Sir" said l. it is for yourself l mean. The captain isnotwhat he usod to be-. Hs sits with drawn cutias5 Another gentle man"
 Come now, march" interrupted he; and l never heard 6 voice So cruel, and cold. and ps,y as that Sind mans. Ii cowed noe mors thsu pain ;aGd began ta obey hi.n at oace walking straight in al tlle door and toward the parl0g, wHere the sick old bpccsheei was sitting, dazed with rum. The blinf man eluug close 10 me, holding me in one iron fst and leaning almost more of hf weight on mo than 1 could carry. Lead ma straight up to him, aad when I'm iu view, cry out, Heres g friend for you, Bili. IT yoa don't I a0 thls;" and with that h' gave mo @ twiteh that ! thought would hava made m3 faint Between this and that l was so utterly terrified Of the blind began that l forgot my terror of the captain and as l opened opened the pacor door, etied cut the words he had ordered Ia a trembling Soica
 The poor captain raised hls eyes, and a ono look tue rum went out of him, and lef him staring sober The expression Of hh face was not SD much og terfer as of nora sickness. He made movement to rise. but l da not believe he had enough force left iD hls body.
 "Now, Bul, slt where you are," said the began. If l can't sec. can hear a fngG stirring. Business is business. Hold 0u your left hand. Boy, take his left hand ol tho wrist, and bring it near to my right" We both Obeyed him to the letter, and l say him pass something from the hollow of tho hand that held his stick into the palm of thi captains, which closed upon it instantly.
 "And now that's done, said the bl.nd mani sRd'at fine words be suddenly left hCld oi me. and, with incredible accuracy and nimhleness. skipped out of the parlor and into the road, where. as I still stood notion less, l could hear his stick go tap-tap-tap- ping into the distance.
 It WIS some time before either or the captain seemed to gather our senses; but at length and about at the same moment re- leased his wrist which was still holding, and he drew in his hand and looked sharply into the Ialnl.
 ''fen o'cloekp' he cried. "Six hours. We'll do them yet" and he sprung to his feet.
 Even as he did SO, he reelod, put his hand to his throat, stood swaying for a moment and then, with peculiar sound, fell from his whole height face foremost to the floor.
 Iran to him at once. calling to my mother. But haste was all in vain. The captain had been struck dead by laundering apopexy. It is a curious thing to understand for had certainly never liked the man. though of late had begun to pity him, but as soon as i saw that he WAS dead, burst into a flood of tears r. vast the second death l had known and the sorrow of the inst was still fresh in my heart.